


friends don't love me like you do

by doughnutwhore



Category: Sex Education (TV)
Genre: F/F, Friends to Lovers, all aboard the maeve and aimee train, friends kinda realizing they like each other, what's their ship name btw
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-20
Updated: 2020-02-19
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:15:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22328446
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/doughnutwhore/pseuds/doughnutwhore
Summary: "i've watched you done it for me."alternatively: in which Aimee and Maeve realize things
Relationships: Aimee Gibbs & Maeve Wiley, Aimee Gibbs/Maeve Wiley
Comments: 41
Kudos: 347





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> emma mackey said maeve and aimee rights
> 
> *work of fanfiction. no copyright infringement intended

“Boys are stupid,” Aimee grumbles, sniffing as she hastily wipes off her tear-stained cheeks. 

It isn’t the first time that Aimee’s cried over Steve. Maeve thinks it wouldn’t be the last time either, but then Aimee crosses her arms over her chest and says, “I’m breaking up with him.”

There’s a finality in her tone that sounds believable, but then again that’s how she used to sound with Adam so Maeve doesn’t say anything, merely hums and nods. 

Aimee knows what it means. She gives Maeve a pointed look. 

“I mean it. I’m really breaking up with him.”

“Because he’s choosing to prioritise his studies over going on dates with you?” 

“Because he looks at me like I’m stupid,” she almost whispers, looks down and plays with her fingernails. “I know that I’m not that bright. Heck, I’m not bright at all, but he doesn’t have to point that out with how he treats me.”

There’s a flame inside of Maeve that suddenly flickers to life. Her eyes narrow and her voice is hard when she asks, “Why? How does he treat you?”

“Nicely most times, but he laughs at me when he looks at my homework, and he rolls his eyes when I ask him to repeat something he’d been explaining.”

“Is that why you’re crying?”

Aimee meekly nods her head. “I don’t understand our maths lesson, okay? He doesn’t have to make me feel dumb about it.”

That does it. 

It’s not until lunch time that Aimee hears what Maeve had done. She hears it from Lily out of all people. 

“She what?”

Lily’s smile widens. “Punched your boyfriend in the face. His nose bled, you know,” she relays before walking away and leaving Aimee profusely confused. 

“Why’d you do it?” Aimee asks at lunch when she and Maeve are sitting on the rooftop of a building.

Maeve turns to her, face softening as she looks at her golden haloed head. 

“He made you feel stupid. No one’s allowed to do that to you.”

The smile that Aimee sends her way makes up for the ache in her knuckles, and when Aimee scoots in closer and rests her head on Maeve’s shoulder, Maeve can swear that she doesn’t feel it sting at all.

The only problem is that her knuckles begin bruising by fourth period, and by the time that school finishes, her hand has turned completely immovable. 

She tries her best to hide it from Aimee but the girl sees the discomfort on her face anyway. 

“Let me take a look at it,” Aimee pouts, and there really isn’t anything that Maeve can do when Aimee’s looking at her like that. She offers her hand as carefully as she can. “Right, I’m taking you to the clinic.”

“It’s fine,” Maeve tries to reassure her but is met with a raised eyebrow and a challenging look. 

“It’s not fine. This is basically my fault.”

“It isn’t. You didn’t make me punch Steve. I did this to myself, okay?”

“But you did this for me. Please, Maeve,” she pleads.

Maeve almost says yes, but then she remembers the reputation she insists on upholding. “I don’t want to.”

“Fine. Then I’m texting my mum and I’m telling her that I’m staying over at your house because I broke your hand.”

Aimee doesn’t give her a chance to argue. 

The trailer is small and unkempt, but Aimee’s never minded. 

She drops her bag on the couch and heads straight to the kitchen. Maeve watches as she puts the kettle on, takes the mugs from the cupboards and the tea from the upper right cabinet. All without directions. 

“How do you know where my things are?”

Aimee doesn’t even look back when she answers, “I’ve watched you done it for me.”

She leaves the kettle on while she searches for a bag of beans and the medical kit.

They’re sitting across from each other when Maeve feels something heavy sit on her chest. It magnifies when Aimee looks up at her from her maths homework. 

“I think I got them right this time,” she says when she slides the paper towards her. 

Maeve scans it and grins. 

“I knew I wasn’t a complete idiot,” Aimee chuckles. Mostly to herself. 

It does something to Maeve that makes her put a hand on top of Aimee’s. She gives it a squeeze. “You never were.”

They’re silent after that. Aimee gulps, scared that Maeve might hear how loud her heart is beating. 

“You should go home,” Maeve says, waving away Aimee’s offer to help with the dishes. She’s a big girl. She can handle the dishes with one hand. 

“I’m not going anywhere. I told you I’m staying over.”

“I’m fine Aimes, really. You don’t have to stay.”

“Well I want to,” Aimee stubbornly responds. 

The next thing that Maeve knows is Aimee emerging from her bathroom with a towel on her head and her old shirt hanging loosely on her frame. 

Aimee shyly smiles at her. She looks down at herself and then back at Maeve. 

“It looks better on me, doesn’t it?”

Maeve could only nod. 

“You know you really should’ve gone home,” Maeve whispers. 

It’s dark in her room but Maeve can still make out the form of Aimee’s legs beside hers. Pale and long and smooth.

Aimee shifts and slides a leg on top of both of hers. A hand rests on top of her stomach. 

“If you’re worried about the small bed, I don’t mind. It’s nice. I like snuggling.”

She sounds half asleep, Maeve notes.

“Too bad you’re breaking up with your boyfriend. You’ve got no one to snuggle with now.”

Aimee moves in closer, mumbles, “Well I still have you.”


	2. Chapter 2

The bus is much more tolerable now, Aimee thinks. Something to do with Maeve sitting beside her. Sometimes she thinks she sees the horrible man who jizzed on her, but Maeve’s hand always finds hers to let her know that she’s safe. 

There’s a gentle squeeze on her arm, just like always when she’s being quiet. Maeve’s done it countless times before, but it’s the first time that her heart skips in response. 

“You okay?” Maeve asks, eyebrows knit and genuine concern all over her face. She’s only ever that soft with Aimee. 

“Yeah, fine. Sorry babes, didn’t mean to make you worry.”

“Just making sure,” comes the response, and then a little wink that tugs at Aimee’s chest.

The ride doesn’t take long and soon enough they’re in the halls of Moordale. 

Maeve is in front of her locker, grabbing her books for first period when Otis appears beside her. He’s hesitant, Maeve notices, like he’s unsure of whether or not Maeve wants to talk to him. Only then does she remember why. 

“Maeve, please? We need to talk.”

“Look, Otis. I told you. I didn’t get a voicemail, and even if I’d gotten one it wouldn’t mean anything anymore.”

Otis opens his mouth, likely to ask why or what changed when Aimee comes into sight. 

Maeve doesn’t know it yet, but that’s why. 

“What did Otis want?” Aimee asks after Otis leaves. She tries her best to sound casual but her voice comes out harsher than she intends. 

Maeve merely shrugs. “He wanted to talk about the voicemail.”

“Again? But you said you didn’t get it.”

“I didn’t, but he keeps saying that he sent one. Anyway. Whatever. I don’t care.”

Aimee bites her lip. “You don’t care?” She repeats, sounding a little too hopeful. 

Maeve shakes her head. “It was good while it lasted, but Otis really hurt me. He said some things that can’t easily be forgiven.”

The warmth in Aimee’s chest expands. She doesn’t understand it, but she feels light all of a sudden. Optimistic for something that she can’t name. 

She turns her head to look at Maeve only to find the other girl already staring at her. 

Maeve smirks and it does things to Aimee’s head. 

“I’ll see you at lunch?”

“Yeah.”

Aimee spends second period pretending that she doesn’t notice Otis looking back at her from his seat in front of the class.

There’s a curious expression on his face, a sort of intrigued look in his eyes that Aimee doesn’t bother understanding.

He’s an okay guy, she thinks, except for that time he publicly insulted Maeve and proudly declared that he deserved better than her. 

No one’s better than Maeve in Aimee’s honest opinion. Maeve is the whole package. 

She’s funny and intelligent and beautiful and yes, she comes across as intimidating and sarcastic but she has the kindest heart. 

Anyone would be lucky to have Maeve, and Otis was a fool for throwing his chance away.

The next time Aimee catches Otis looking at her she raises a brow at him. It’s a challenge -meaning that whatever Otis wants with Maeve he has to go through her first. 

She’s not letting anyone hurt Maeve ever again. 

“So Ola might have mentioned that she saw you giving Otis a dirty look in class earlier,” Maeve says, smirking.

“Well he kept glancing at me and I got a bit annoyed.” 

Aimee takes a bite of her sandwich, suddenly more interested in her lunch than telling Maeve what went on in her head that second period. She’s never been embarrassed at complimenting the other girl, but she is now. Nervous even. It’s all quite confusing. 

“Huh. I wonder why he kept looking at you.”

“Maybe he thought that I could help him get to you,” is what Aimee says. It comes out overly bitter that it surprises even Aimee herself. She chalks it up to her growing protectiveness over Maeve. After all, what else could it be?

“He’s never going to get to me again after his shitshow,” Maeve scoffs.

“I hope so.”

“What?”

Aimee almost chokes on her last bite. “I only mean that you have a soft spot for Otis.”

“He hurt me, Aimes.” A pause and then. “Why? Would you ever get back with Steve after how he made you feel?”

Aimee looks down, hesitates. “I’m not sure.”

Maeve closes her eyes, looks away from Aimee and out into the distance. “I see.”

Maeve is quiet on the way home. Aimee knows that it’s her fault, although she doesn’t remember what she said that might have caused the other girl’s sudden silence. 

They’re at the driveway to Aimee’s house when Maeve unexpectedly confesses, “I didn’t like what you said earlier, about you possibly getting back with Steve.”

Aimee’s heart stops. She swallows the lump in her throat. “Why?”

“I don’t know.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing?”

“I don’t know.”

It makes Maeve laugh. “You don’t know why you’re apologizing?”

“Not entirely. All I know is that I made you sad for some reason, and I don’t like it when you’re sad,” Aimee says.

Maeve looks at her with the tenderest expression then, certain of something she doesn’t know yet. She holds out her hand, and Aimee is more than happy to take it. 

“Are you still angry with me?”

“I don’t think I can stay angry with you.”


	3. Chapter 3

Aimee’s gotten better at baking. Maeve knows this because she’s been Aimee’s test taster since day one -a job that she takes very seriously, by the way. 

She’s leaning on the kitchen island, elbows propped on the countertop as she watches Aimee take the sheet pan of cookies from the oven. 

She looks extremely pleased. 

“They look fantastic, Aimes,” Maeve comments. 

“Thanks, love. I hope they taste as good as they look.”

She lets it cool down on a rack before handing a piece to Maeve. With a hopeful expression on her face, Aimee watches as Maeve takes a bite. 

“So? How is it?”

“The best one you’ve done yet,” Maeve says, eyes lighting up in delight. 

“Be honest.”

“I mean it. It’s delicious. Taste one.”

Aimee grabs a piece from the rack and takes a bite. Her eyebrows shoot up in surprise. 

“I told you they were great.”

“Great? They’re fantastic! I can’t believe I made these!” Aimee cheered, jumping up and down excitedly. 

Maeve watches as the smile on her face widens, reaching her eyes and making her glow. It’s a smile that could light up all of Moordale, she thinks -a smile that she would like to see every day if she could. 

They’re sitting on the couch in Aimee’s living room, watching a movie on the telly when Maeve suddenly says, “You should join the bake sale at school next week.”

“What?” Aimee whips her head to face her, clearly surprised at the suggestion. “I’m nowhere near ready to be handing out my pastries to other people, let alone make them pay for it.”

An eye roll. “Stop that. You’ve gotten really good, Aimes. I promise. The school would be lucky to have you volunteer.”

“You really think so?”

“I know so. Cross my heart.” 

“You believe in me so much. I don’t think I can live up to it,” however, is what Aimee responds with. She sighs, still in doubt of her capabilities. 

Maeve takes her hand, gives it a light squeeze as she leans forward. There’s a softness in her eyes that’s only reserved for Aimee. Maeve thinks not even Otis has seen it. Not even Elsie. 

“I believe in you because I know how far you’ve gotten since you started, and because I know that you give it your all when you bake. You put so much love and attention to whatever it is that you’re making, Aimes, and you practice and practice and you love what you do. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you as happy as when you’re baking. That’s why they turn out great.”

She’s looking at Aimee right in the eyes, heart on her sleeve, meaning every word, and then her eyes drop down from Aimee’s own and onto her lips. 

Aimee doesn’t notice the movement of Maeve’s eyes, too overwhelmed with the crash of emotions that come with Maeve’s words. 

She doesn’t think when she pulls the other girl in for a hug, holding her close as she buries her face in the crook of Maeve’s neck.

Maeve smells like cigarettes and powdered sugar. 

“Thank you,” Aimee mumbles. “That means a lot to me.”

Maeve snakes her hands around Aimee’s waist. “I meant every single word.”

The next thing they know they’re looking up recipes on the internet. 

“Hmm, what about lemon cakes?” Maeve suggests.

“I was thinking something easier.”

“Egg tarts? Custard tarts?”

“Oh, what about the brownies I made last week? You said they tasted great.”

“They did. Oh oh, you could make them with different toppings or like, incorporate other ingredients. Like sprinkles and nuts and marshmallows!”

“Chocolate chips!”

“Peanut butter!” Maeve beams, and it’s so infinitely contagious that Aimee finds herself beaming as well, her previous trepidation completely forgotten.

How could she remember when Maeve is there, filling her with kindness and positivity and support? 

She looks at Maeve when the other girl isn’t looking, looks at the curve of her nose and the shape of her mouth and her ears and her eyes still glued to the laptop on the table in front of them. 

She closes her eyes and commits them all to memory. 

Maeve is halfway home when she hears a ping sound from her jacket pocket. She reaches for the device and looks at the screen. It’s Aimee. 

‘Thanks again for today’ it says. Four simple words and yet she could feel a stampede of wildebeests somewhere in her chest, thundering away and stealing all of her breath. 

She closes her eyes for a second, willing her mind to gather herself but all she sees is Aimee and the pure joy on her face when she tasted the cookies that she made. Aimee and the hesitation in her voice when Maeve suggested joining the bake sale. Aimee and her gratefulness when Maeve helped boost her confidence. When Maeve held her hand and leaned in close and looked at how her mouth had parted. 

Her heart races at the thought. She stops in her tracks, puts a hand on her chest to calm herself. 


	4. Chapter 4

Maeve won’t say it but she likes being on the Quiz Heads. It makes her feel good somehow, knowing that she’s part of something. That she belongs somewhere.

She also wouldn’t admit it but she thinks her teammates are okay. Except for Viv. That girl’s a boss, and a really good friend. 

She’s answering a sample quiz in the library with the rest of her teammates when Aimee arrives and pulls the chair beside hers. 

“I missed you,” Aimee sighs sitting down. The others eye her when she arrives, Steve most especially, but they don’t say anything. 

“I missed you too, pet.”

It’s easy because they’ve said it a thousand times in the past, but Maeve’s heart is beating a little too rapidly for it to be considered normal anymore. She only hopes that Aimee doesn’t hear it. 

“You okay?” 

“Yeah, yeah. Sorry, just zoned out a little there,” Maeve says as an excuse. 

Aimee makes a face. “That’s because you’ve been studying so hard. I bet your brain’s turned into mush by now.”

Maeve looks at her, all pouty and wrinkled-brow. “I’m almost done, I promise.”

That earns a chuckle from the other girl. 

“Alright. I’ll wait.”

Aimee waits until it’s late in the afternoon. She’s fallen asleep, her head resting on the table. Maeve nudges her a bit to wake her up.

“Hey darling, it’s time to go.”

Aimee groans. “5 more minutes.”

“Vivian and the others have already left.”

“No.”

“They’re closing the library, Aimes,” Maeve sighs.

“5 more minutes.”

“That’s it. I’m carrying you out of here.”

The words don’t really register in Aimee’s brain until she feels strong hands wrap around her waist and under her knees. Her eyes snap open in an instant but she’s too late. Maeve’s already trying to stand up with both of their weights. 

“Wait, no,” Aimee shouts, suddenly flailing, taken aback that Maeve is actually carrying her. 

“Aimee, don’t,” but Maeve’s knees are already giving in and the next thing they know is they’re both on the ground in a rather awkward position that has their hearts crawling out of their chests. 

Maeve’s back is on the floor, her arms still wrapped protectively around the waist of the other girl who’s currently on top of her. Maeve notices Aimee’s hands braced on both sides of her head, and for a moment there she thinks of what might have happened if those hands weren’t there. If Aimee’s hands didn’t stop her from falling closer. 

It’s the second time that Maeve’s eyes drop down to Aimee’s lips. This time Aimee notices. This time Maeve notices Aimee’s breath hitch. 

Still, they don’t do anything about it. Instead, Aimee laughs, and it sends Maeve into a fit of giggles as well. 

“That was terrible,” Aimee says. 

“I was going to carry you.”

“You surprised me!”

“You didn’t want to wake up!”

“I sleep better when you’re beside me,” Aimee says, happy and out of breath. Her eyes are locked on to Maeve’s and there’s something there that’s both clear and quite confusing. 

Maeve thinks she knows what it is. She thinks she might have known for a while. The only question is if she’s ready to acknowledge it. If Aimee’s ready to acknowledge it. 

“We should get up, yeah?” Aimee says, pulling Maeve up and away from her thoughts. 

Maeve blinks back to reality. 

“Yeah.”

It’s when they’re getting up that Viv appears in front of them. She stutters. 

“I’m sorry. I left a pencil. I didn’t know that you were -,”

“What?”

“Are you guys dating?” is her question. Straight to the point. It’s a simple enough inquiry, but Maeve feels her stomach drop down to her feet. 

It doesn’t help that Aimee looks at her like she doesn’t know what to say. 

“Uh, we aren’t,” Maeve replies and Viv cocks an eyebrow.

“Oh, I thought you were. You look good together is all,” and then she’s leaving without the pencil that she said she left. 

Maeve is walking Aimee home when the latter asks, “Do you think we look good together?”

That makes Maeve stop. “What?”

“Viv said we look good together.”

“Oh.” There’s a slight blush coloring Maeve’s cheeks now. 

“What do you think? Do you agree?”

“I guess. I mean I’m good looking, and you don’t look so bad yourself.”

Aimee laughs, lightly pushing her to the side. It’s when she looks back at Maeve that the world sort of stops for a moment. Maeve is looking at her -really looking, and then Maeve says, 

“You’re gorgeous Aimes. Inside and out.”

It knocks the wind off Aimee’s lungs. “Yeah?”

A sigh, “Yeah. Ruby’s got nothing on you,” and Maeve knows that she says it a little too dreamily. Perhaps a little too lovingly, but she can’t help it now. Not when she’s beginning to understand how she feels. Not when Aimee is looking at her like that. 

Aimee chuckles in disbelief. “Ruby? Oh come on Maeve. Don’t start lying to me now.”

“I’m being serious. Ruby’s all face and no heart, but you darling, you’ve got it all.”

It’s the sincerity that makes Aimee blush. It definitely has nothing to do with the piercing gaze that Maeve is sending her way, right?

“Thanks babe.”

“You know I think besides the closeness, it’s the pet names that make Viv think we’re dating,” Maeve muses. 

“I think you’re right. Doesn’t mean we should stop though.”

“No? Even if they think we’re together?”

Aimee slides a hand down Maeve’s own, linking their fingers together. Maeve swallows the lump in her throat. This spells trouble. “Let them think.”


	5. Chapter 5

It’s the day of the bake sale and Aimee is terrified out of her wits. 

The hall is packed with parents and students and faculty and staff, everyone eager to buy whatever tasty pastries were on display. 

The amount of people in the hall makes Aimee’s knees buckle. What if no one buys her brownies? What if someone does and they tell her that it tastes awful? 

She’s about to turn back and leave when a pair of gentle hands rest upon her arms. She turns around and sees Maeve. The other girl is donning a gentle and reassuring smile like she knows what’s going on in Aimee’s head. 

“There you are. I’ve set up your booth for you,” Maeve says, running her hands up and down Aimee’s arms to soothe her.

“I, uh, thanks but I don’t think that I can handle this.”

A pout. “Why not?”

“What if my brownies aren’t good?”

Without preamble, Maeve opens the box that Aimee has on her hands and takes a square of brownie. She pops it into her mouth and groans. 

“This is even better than last time.”

Aimee rolls her eyes. “You’re just trying to make me stay.”

That makes Maeve grin. There’s a little piece of chocolate stuck in the middle of her two front teeth that eases Aimee’s nerves. She obviously left it there for that very purpose. 

“Hey,” Maeve says a little more seriously when she notices Aimee’s brows creasing again. She licks the chocolate off her teeth, leans in and earnestly tells the other girl, “You have nothing to worry about. I promise. Your brownies are amazing.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

That’s all it takes for Aimee’s nerves to settle. She doesn’t know what powers Maeve has, but she’s the only one who can calm her down and sort out her anxieties. 

All her life, Aimee’s been told that she’s dumb or talentless, but Maeve’s never made her feel like that. Maeve has always been her biggest supporter and her number one fan, so if Maeve says that she’s done a good job then she’s going to believe her. Maeve has never lied to her after all. 

Aimee lets Maeve steer her to the booth that’s been set up for her, lets her help display the brownies that she spent all morning whipping up. 

It doesn’t take long for her to get her first customer. 

Aimee ends up selling all of her brownies hours before closing time. 

“I told you so,” Maeve says smugly, earning a fond eye roll from Aimee. 

“You did. Thank you for encouraging me. I don’t think I would’ve gone with it if you weren’t around. I would’ve bolted through the door if you didn’t find me in time.”

The sincerity in Aimee’s eyes makes Maeve’s heart soar. She’s so overwhelmed with emotion that she doesn’t stop herself from crossing the distance between them and pulling Aimee in for a hug. It’s soft and tender but tight all the same, and the fact that Aimee returns it with as much ferocity makes Maeve’s head spin. 

Aimee looks at her with stars in her eyes when they pull back. “What was that for?”

“I’m just so proud of you Aimes.”

“I’m really proud of myself, too. Thank you. I really couldn’t have done any of this without you.”

“No need to thank me, love. You’ve always been talented. You just needed a nudge.”

This time it’s Aimee that pulls her in for a hug. This time, Maeve feels her heart explode in her chest. 

She knows what it is. She’s felt it before, but it’s different somehow too. It’s deeper this time. Feels more real than anything she’s ever known. 

She’s breathless when Aimee pulls back and lays a kiss on her cheek. 

“Congratulations Aimee. You did a really good job with your brownies,” Ola says, passing by as Aimee and Maeve are packing up their things.

“Thank you, Ola.”

“You and Maeve make a really good team,” Lily adds. There’s a knowing look in her eyes that Maeve understands. She turns to Aimee who, thankfully, looks as oblivious as ever. 

She breathes out a sigh of relief. Aimee can’t know yet. Not yet. Not when she’s the only thing that’s good in Maeve’s life. 

“Well, she’s the best partner a girl could ever ask for,” Aimee replies, and it takes all of Maeve’s willpower not to hold her again. 

They say their goodbyes to Ola and Lily and continue packing up their things. 

Maeve throws the empty boxes in the trash while Aimee counts her hard-earned money. There’s a glimmer in her eyes when Maeve returns.

“What is it? Have you made a million pounds?”

“Nope. But I’ve certainly made enough to take you out on a proper date.”

 _Date,_ the word bounces around in Maeve’s head. It makes her throat dry. She blinks a couple of times. “Date?”

“Yeah, date. I want to take you somewhere nice.”

“What for?”

“For everything, obviously,” she says with a resonating _duh._ “I told you. I wouldn’t have done any of this without your help.”

“You don’t need to take me out on a date, Aimes.”

“I want to,” Aimee says, and she really means it. It’s a thank you date, although she knows that deep down there’s also another reason behind it. It’s just something that she can’t dare to say yet. Not when it’s still so new and quite honestly, kind of confusing. But it’s a date. A _date_ date. Even if Maeve doesn’t know it.


End file.
